The trial that revealed recreational drug use by celebrity chef Nigella Lawson ended in an acquittal of the two sisters who were accused of spending more than $1 million of Lawson and then-husband Charles Saatchi's money on personal items without permission.

Lawson condemned the trial as a "ridiculous sideshow of false allegations" and said she "cannot forgive the court progress" forcing her testify "without any real protection or representation." The drug allegations came out in an email sent by Saatchi to Lawson in which he claimed that the assistants would avoid conviction because the drug-addled Lawson gave them free reign with the credit cards. Lawson testified that she had used drugs on several occasions — cocaine while dealing with the terminal cancer of her first husband and marijuana during low points in her marriage to Saatchi.

After the email was revealed in a pre-trial hearing, Saatchi apologized and said he had never seen his ex-wife use drugs. Her assistants also testified Lawson had never taken drugs in front of them, although Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo claimed they saw evidence of drug use, including packets of white powder, among Lawson's things.

Lawson says she believes the drug claims were part of Saatchi's campaign to destroy her reputation. "I did my civic duty, only to be maliciously vilified without the right to respond."